Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. My younger sister Andi (a vegetarian) calls it the “meat-eaters” holiday.  But I don’t see it that way. For me, the holiday is about being thankful for friends and family and all that we have. It is about sharing wonderful food with the people we are blessed to have in our lives. I feel very blessed in this life and am grateful for all that I have and can do. (My birthday is always right before Thanksgiving, which may also contribute to it being my favorite holiday!)

My favorite Thanksgiving dishes are the side dishes. Besides dessert, of course! Mashed potatoes and stuffing are the ones I reach for first. The green veggie is next on my plate. In this very unprecedented year, we are shaking up our traditional Thanksgiving menu a bit. Okay, so maybe a lot. Typically, the green vegetable is Brussels sprouts in some form. Not this year. We are replacing them with a mushroom & spinach dish, a typical recipe from Apulia, in Southern Italy.

Balsamic Mushrooms & Spinach

Balsamic Mushrooms & Spinach (adapted from allrecipes.com) Total Time Required: 30 minutes, Prep Time: 20 minutes, Cook Time: 10 minutes, Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 16 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 10 ounces fresh spinach, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup white wine
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Directions:

Do all the prep work before starting to cook.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the onion for 2 minutes, then add in the garlic and sauté for another minute, until the onions become tender.

Sauté the onions and garlic.

Add the mushrooms, and cook them until they begin to shrink, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Add the mushrooms to the pan.

Toss in the spinach, and sauté, stirring constantly for a few minutes, until the spinach is wilted.

Then add the spinach.

Add the vinegar, stirring constantly until it is absorbed.

A touch of balsamic vinegar is added next.

Stir in the white wine. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the wine has almost completely been absorbed.

Add in the wine and simmer it all together.

Season the mushrooms and spinach with salt and pepper to taste, and sprinkle with the fresh parsley.

Salt, pepper, and parsley complete the dish.

Serve hot.

This will not be a once-a-year item!

Coming up with new side items for Thanksgiving is a treat!  ~Linda

Balsamic Mushrooms & Spinach (adapted from allrecipes.com) Total Time Required: 30 minutes, Prep Time: 20 minutes, Cook Time: 10 minutes, Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 16 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 10 ounces fresh spinach, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup white wine
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Directions:

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the onion for 2 minutes, then add in the garlic and sauté for another minute, until the onions become tender. Add the mushrooms, and cook them until they begin to shrink, about 3 to 4 minutes. Toss in the spinach, and sauté, stirring constantly for a few minutes, until the spinach is wilted.

Add the vinegar, stirring constantly until it is absorbed, then stir in the white wine. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the wine has almost completely been absorbed. Season the mushrooms and spinach with salt and pepper to taste, and sprinkle with the fresh parsley. Serve hot.